The White House on Tuesday rejected allegations that it sought to prevent former acting Attorney General Sally Yates from testifying before Congress in the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of ties between Russian agents and Trump campaign officials.

"The White House has taken no action to prevent Sally Yates from testifying and the Department of Justice, specifically told her that it would not stop her and to suggest otherwise is completely irresponsible," deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement to CNN.

Advertisement

The statement came after The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration sought to block Yates' testimony before Congress.

But the Justice Department told CNN that it referred the matter back to the White House counsel's office after Yates' attorneys reached out to the department to ask whether Yates' testimony would raise any issues. A letter from the Justice Department to Yates' lawyer published by in The Washington Post says that it's possible her testimony is "likely covered by the communications privilege" and said it would be up to White House.

The letter was sent on the same day that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes canceled a previously scheduled hearing that Yates was going to appear at.

Yates' attorney did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he was "aware that former AG Yates intended to speak on these matters and sought permission to testify from the White House."

"Whether the White House's desire to avoid a public claim of executive privilege to keep her from providing the full truth on what happened contributed to the decision to cancel today's hearing, we do not know," Schiff said in statement Tuesday morning. "But we would urge that the open hearing be rescheduled without further delay and that Ms. Yates be permitted to testify freely and openly."